Title:
Application of Concrete Spalling Mitigation
Author(s):
Kevin Mueller
Publication:
Web Session
Volume:
Issue:
Appears on pages(s):
Keywords:
DOI:
Date:
10/20/2019
Abstract:
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Standard 7-16 “Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures” was recently published. It includes a new Appendix E, “Performance-Based Design Procedures for Fire Effects on Structures,” which provides an optional performance-based design procedure addressing structural integrity, fire load development, heat transfer, and structural response. As engineers in North America start to apply these procedures, the mitigation of concrete spalling will become a critical design consideration. The heat transfer and structural analysis of reinforced concrete elements is highly dependent on the thickness of cover during the fire exposure, which can be significantly damaged or even completely removed under a fire event if spalling mitigation is not considered during design. This presentation will address the current state of practice to mitigate concrete spalling under fire in North America. First, it will provide an exhaustive code review for North American structural concrete design under fire, including ACI, ASCE, NBC, NFPA, ASTM, and SFPE, with emphasis on how each document addresses spalling. Second, it will explore the structural, materials, and experimental testing applications towards evaluating and mitigating concrete spalling through mixture design optimization and materials consulting. Third, it will provide a proposed design procedure and approach that engineers can follow when designing new structures as well as retrofitting existing structures.